Ventors



WATER-GAGE TUBE.`

l Patented Sept.'12,1876.

No.18Z,19Z.

WI'TNESSES ILPETERS. PNOTO-LITHDGRAPHER. wAsNmGTQN, D C

JAMESJOSEPEHIKS, 0F YHerron GARISQND -OISJONCROSSLEY AND .L l. -l

Specification forming part kof Letters Patent No. 1.92,

arqaspteinber 12,1876', applicati@ mea,

June ic,-1e76." r

To all whom it may couccwt Be it known that we, J AMES JOSEPH HICKS, optician, of Hatton Garden, in the county of Middlesex, England, and LOUIS JOHN Cnoss- `LEY, carpetmanufacturer,,and RICHARD HAN- SON, engineer, both of HalifaX,'in the county Yof York, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementi'n Water-Gages, of which the following is a specification:

The improvement relates to that class of vwater-gage in which the level of the water is solid matter from the water.

The object of our improvement is to overcome this difficulty, as in our device the height of the water can always be seen at a great distance and in dark situations. It can also be seen at a glance Whether the water is above the top or down below the bottom of the gage. The absence of this facility of observation is a serious defect with plain tubes or gageglasscs, in which it is almost impossible to ascertain whether the boiler is full or other-v wise. This defect is a frequent cause of boiler explosions.

Our invention consists in the application of White or colored enamel, or other reflecting means, of a certain width to the back of the tube, or to the back of the chamber. This we eect by painting or otherwise covering the outside of the tube to the required width with enamel-glass powder, and fusing the same thereon by the application of heat. Or we embed a layer of enamel-glass of the required width in the body of the glass forming the tube.

In cases where a chamber with a glass front is used in lieu of a glass tube, we apply enamel of the required width to the inside of the back of the gage-chamber, or We place a sheet of enamel glass in Such position.

By these means the light is powerfully relected `through the water, whereby the level thereof is rendered more readily visible. The light, when reflected from a white enameled background, shows the water white as milk, thus producing the results above described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a water-gage of our improved construction. Fig. 2 represents the appearance of the same to the eye when applied to a boil-V er. Fig. 3 represents a transverse section of the gage on the line 2 2, Fig. 1.

A may represent a water-gage, whose tube B is provided with a backing or strip, a, of white or colored enamel, or other reecting means, of the required width to adapt it to change the appearance of the liquid without changing the dark appearance of the tube above said liquid. e

The appearance of the device to the eye, as

shown in Fig. 2, will cause the invention to be more readily understood, the liquid within the tube being of milk-white color. The milkwhite appearance of the water is caused by the light passing througharefracting medium onto a white back, forming a reector. The tube above the liquid not being changed in appearance, because of the absence of the re-' fracting mediumforms a dark portion, indicating distinctly the height of the liquid.

We are aware that it is not new to apply a milk-white or other colored backing to athermometer-tube to render the'graduations thereon or the contained liquid readily visible, or to a hydrometer-stem for the purpose of rendering the graduations thereon easily readable, and therefore do not claim such adevice.

The white or colored backing thus used with thermometer and hydrometer tubes is of such a width as 4to change the dark appearance of the entire tube, and is, therefore, incompatible with our invention, the design of which is to indicate the height ofI the colorless liquid, not to change the appearance to the eye of the entire tube and liquid.

Having thus described our invention, the following is what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The tube B, provided with a backing or strip, a, of white or colored enamel, or other reecting means, of the required width, to

adapt it to vchangethe appearance of the con-` tained colorless liquid -to a ymilkfwlitefonother v. color Without changing the appearance of the tube above said liquid.

2. A Water-gage tube,

of White .or colored en -amel or other relectin g means, of such awidth as to adaptf itby're-z fraction to changetlie appearanoeofthe contained Water to a milk-White or other color,

to render said water readilyl visible. n Y

. A Water-gage tube, B; having a strip,` a',

of white or colored enamel, of such a width as to adapt it to give color to the contained liquid Wit-hout changing" the dark appearance of the tube above the liquid on each side of` 2 the strip.

B, having a strip, a,`

4. Atubc having a strip on backing, a, of'yl less .Width than thebore off the tube, and. adapt ed to color the contained colorless liquid.

. JAS. J. HICKS.

LOUIS vJ CROSSLEY.

i i Norfolk Place, Halifax'. WALTER EMMoTT,

Allerton Place, Halifax.

VRICHARD HANSYON. .u i, 

